Satish Kaul: The death of Bollywood actor Satish Kaul on April 10 is a rude reminder about the fleeting nature of fame and fortune for actors who shone brightly at some point in their lives. Kaul, who died aged 74 following complications arising from COVID-19, began his career on a high note, but couldn’t sustain his success. The actor played a significant part in the 1973 romance ‘Prem Parbat’, followed by his role as Lord Indra in BR Chopra’s hit mythological series ‘Mahabharat’. However, acting jobs dried up and the coronavirus pandemic forced him to beg for money and work from his colleagues. Kaul’s isn’t the only actor who faced a tough road in the latter part of his life. Here’s a look at a few other Bollywood stars who died alone and some, financially unstable …
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Parveen Babi: In the 1970s, actress Parveen Babi was celebrated for being bold, beautiful, and sassy. But her final days were not as glorious as she battled severe mental health issues and was struggling to find the money for her treatment. Her body was found in January 2005 in her Mumbai apartment two days after her death. She was the portrait of a star who had a sparkling beginning but met with a tragic end.
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Mahesh Anand: This Indian actor was found dead in his Versova apartment in Mumbai on February 9 last year by police officials two days after his death. He died of natural causes and foul play was ruled out. Anand was a popular star in the 1990s and was known for his villain roles in hit films such as ‘Ganga Jamuna Saraswati’, ‘Shahenshah’, and ‘Thanedaar’. But towards the end of his life, he was destitute and in desperate need of acting jobs. Director Pankaj Nihilani had openly spoken about how his tragic state of life had compelled him to carve a role out for him in his film ‘Rangeela Raja’ with actor Govinda. It was Anand’s movie comeback after 18 years of joblessness. “I am just there for 6 minutes in the end. Hope you all welcome me back,” he said at the time.
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Achala Sachdev:One of the most popular Bollywood songs ‘O Meri Zohrajabi’, featured Achala Sachev. She began as a child artiste in Hindi cinema and has acted in more than 130 films. In ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’, she played Kajol’s kind, but ailing grandmother. But she had a terrible fall that brought her dreams of any career revival to a halt. She died in April 2012 when she was 91 years old. She lived alone in a flat in Pune for more than 40 years and none of her colleagues were around her during her dark phase.
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Meena Kumari: She was known as ‘The Tragedy Queen of Indian Cinema’ and her life mimicked that title towards the end. At the peak of her career, the ‘Pakeezah’ star was the highest-paid actress of her generation and was the first to have bought a swanky Impala Car. But her life story served as a cautionary tale about the fleeting nature of fame and fortune in the world of films. An actress, who starred in more than 99 films and earned millions, did not finally have enough money to pay for her medical bills.
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Vimi: This self-made star made her Bollywood debut in director BR Chopra’s ‘Humraaz’ in 1967 and became an instant star. She was married when she found tremendous fame, but her troubled relationship with her husband allegedly cost her heavily on her career front. According to reports, she lost several plum offers due to her troubled personal life and went bankrupt. Although she divorced her overbearing spouse, the damage to her career was irreparable. She reportedly died an alcoholic in her early thirties in August 1977 in the general ward of Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai with no one by her side.
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AK Hangal: He was a big name in the world of theatre before taking a plunge in Hindi cinema at the age of 50 and has acted in more than 200 films. But despite being the go-to actor as the grandfather and family patriarch, he died poor and penniless. According to reports, he was unable to afford medical treatment, and actors including Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan stepped forward to help the destitute talent. The actor, known for his roles in ‘Lagaan’ and ‘Sholay’, made headlines in 2011 when he revealed that he was struggling for food, money, and medicine.
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Nalini Jayawant: Known for her iconic role in ‘Bahen’ in 1941, Jayawant was a name to reckon with in the 40s and 50s. But she died alone and was in deep financial distress after retiring from the world of films in the late 1960s. She died in 2020, alone and poor.
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Bharat Bhushan: He was one of the highest paid actors at one time, but he suffered massive losses after going into production. The actor, who debuted in the film ‘Chitralekha’ and went on to act in classics including ‘Baiju Bawra’ was never able to recover from the financial losses. He went bankrupt and died in 1992, penniless.
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